1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air cleaners mounted on vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle including an engine is provided with an air cleaner upstream of a suction pipe through which air is supplied to the engine. This arrangement aims to prevent foreign matter, such as dust or dirt, from mixing into air to be supplied to the engine (which will hereinafter be referred to as “suction air”). The air cleaner includes a filter element that cleans air, an air cleaner case that houses the filter element, and a lid that covers an opening of the air cleaner case.
Examples of such a vehicle include vehicles designed to travel over rough terrain. Among these vehicles are a recreational off-highway vehicle (hereinafter referred to as an “ROV”) and a side-by-side all terrain vehicle (ATV). Unfortunately, when such a vehicle travels over rough terrain, foreign matter, such as dust, is likely to mix into the suction air, and the amount of dust, for example, contained in the suction air tends to increase. This necessitates frequent maintenance of the air cleaner, which includes, for example, cleaning and replacement of the filter element. In cleaning or replacing the filter element, a worker usually opens the lid attached to the air cleaner case, and then removes the filter element from the air cleaner case.
JP 2008-115697 A discloses an air cleaner including an air cleaner case that houses a filer element, and a lid that covers the air cleaner case. The air cleaner case and the lid of this air cleaner are fixed to each other with a plurality of C-shaped plate clips.
Because the plate clips are provided at a plurality of positions in the air cleaner disclosed in JP 2008-115697 A, a worker has to release all the plate clips to reach the filter element inside the air cleaner case, making it time-consuming to remove the filter element from the air cleaner case. Additionally, a certain force is required to release the plate clips, making it difficult to reach the filter element.